A key suspect in the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence was jailed last week for nine years for conspiring to supply drugs.
Jamie Acourt, 42, of Eltham, south east London was sentenced on Friday 7 December after a two-day trial at Kingston Crown Court.
Acourt was thought to be the ‘ringleader’ of a £4m drug plot that lasted four years and conspired to supply cannabis resin to the North East of England.
The 42-year-old was arrested in Spain in May and extradited back to the UK.
Acourt had been living under the name Simon Alfonzo after fleeing the country following a police raid on his family home in February 2016.
The National Crime Agency’s regional head of international operations, Steve Reynolds, said: “I’m delighted that he has been brought to justice.
“His conviction and sentencing sends out a message that we are relentless in our pursuit of wanted fugitives, we have the international reach to track you down, and no matter where you go you will never be able to stop looking over your shoulder.”
Neil Acourt, 43, his elder brother, was also sentenced for the drug plot and received a lesser sentence of six years in February last year.
The brothers are believed to have masterminded a multi-million pound drug ring that enlisted family members in the ferrying of cannabis from London to the North East.
The pair were prime suspects in the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 but were never convicted and have repeatedly denied involvement.
Members of the jury were told about this claim and were advised to focus on the evidence at hand.
David Norris and Gary Dobson were jailed for life in 2012 and were the only two convicted over the Stephen Lawrence murder.
Acourt has previous convictions for drug possession, burglary and theft.
